Supervisory Audiologist-Section Chief - Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

Summary This position is in Audiology, Boise VA Medical Center, Boise, ID. The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center including all clinical and patient care areas involved with the service. Incumbent, an audiologist, is the Section Chief for the Audiology Service. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to the following: Incumbent is the section chief and has overall responsibility for the Audiology department. Incumbent has responsibility for general supervision of clinical and training programs, and overall technical and administrative oversight for operations within the service. The incumbent, an audiologist, conducts a full range of audiological evaluations to determine the type and degree of hearing loss, determines patients' needs for amplification, predicts and measures the effectiveness of amplification and determines need for and type of rehabilitation and counseling of veterans with hearing loss and their families. In carrying out clinical duties and responsibilities of this position, the incumbent must demonstrate: Ability to independently apply professional contemporary audiologic treatments to the full range of patient populations. Exercises independent clinical judgment and adapts clinical procedures and techniques to accommodate age-specific and unique patient conditions, needs, and expectations. Consults with physicians and other health care practitioners related to diagnostic evaluation and treatment. Evaluates patients to determine nature, type, and severity of hearing and balance disorders using a full range of diagnostic tests and techniques, past, family, and social history, record review, and consultation with family and other health care practitioners. Plans, coordinates, and implements a full range of patient-focused treatment services designed to optimize function. Skill in counseling patient's and family members regarding management of hearing/communication/vestibular disorders. Documents in the medical record: evaluation, diagnosis and clinical opinion, treatment plans, outcomes of treatment, changes in functional status, and patient/family education. Participates with other health care practitioners to address the global needs of the patient, advises on diagnosis and treatment. Provides orientation and training of medical staff, as requested. Provides orientation and training of new staff. Provides training and supervision of students, trainees, and fellows, providing feedback on progress toward established educational goals. Keeps current with theory and practice through continuing education programs, journals, textbooks, and other literature, and in-service programs. Skill in applying evidence-based practices in a professional area. Provides patient and family education. Serves as the audiology executive responsible for coordinating operations throughout the facility and its affiliated clinics. Manage key clinical, training, research and administrative programs including the day-to-day activities of these programs. Ability to analyze organizational and operational challenges to develop and implement solutions. Exercises supervisory responsibilities such as planning, and scheduling work; assigning work to employees; accepting, amending, or rejecting completed work; assuring that production and accuracy requirements are met; appraising performance and recommending performance standards and ratings; assigning delineated clinical privileges; approving leave; and effecting all levels of disciplinary measures. Skill in conflict resolution to facilitate positive working relationships between employees, team leaders and managers. Skill in assessing qualifications and abilities of current and prospective employees. Ability to develop the abilities and strengths of current employees. Ability to analyze data to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity with the section. Monitor outcomes using data-driven quality assurance processes and implement strategies for improvement based on data analysis. Shows knowledge of, and ability to apply administrative and human resources policies effectively. Organizes work, sets priorities, delegates tasks, and manages and directs the work of others to accomplish program goals and missions. Ability to balance responsibilities to meet multiple deadlines. Provide input for strategic plans to ensure provision of high-quality services to meet the needs of the Veterans. Develop and implement short and long-term goals and objectives consistent with the programs strategic plan. Oversight to administrative and programmatic resources to support program needs. Develop and implement programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, VHA policy and external accreditation requirements. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: (1) Doctor of Audiology (AUD) from an audiology program recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Audiology Education (ACAE) or Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). HR office staff and management officials may verify a program's accreditation from ACAE at acaeaccred.org and CAA at caa.asha.org. OR (2) Other doctoral degree in hearing science or a directly related field from an institution accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: Effective January 1, 2007, the CAA in Audiology and Speech- Language Pathology of ASHA accredits only doctoral degree or AUD programs in audiology. Licensure: Individuals must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology at the doctoral level in a United States state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. (1) The Under Secretary of Health, or designee, may appoint a candidate without a license who will be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. In such instances, HR office staff can only appoint these candidates in exceptional circumstances where their credentials demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. (2) All audiologists who perform compensation and pension examinations perform direct patient care duties and must possess a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice audiology and must meet the experience requirements under Section 2. D. See 38 C.F.R. § 4.85. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. Such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. English Language Proficiency: Audiologist candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). GS-13 Supervisory Audiologist Grade Determinations: Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional audiologist, with at least one year comparable to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the KSAs required at the full performance level, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs identified below. (a) Skill in conflict resolution to facilitate positive working relationships between employees, team leaders, and managers. (b) Skill in applying evidence-based practices in a professional area. (c) Ability to analyze organizational and operational challenges to develop and implement solutions. (d) Ability to develop the abilities and strengths of current employees. (e) Ability to balance responsibilities, set priorities, and delegate tasks to meet multiple deadlines. (f) Ability to analyze data to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the section. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work is mostly sedentary and requires some standing, bending and carrying light items. The incumbent must have the ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time to interact with the patients and other services. The incumbent must have the ability to move a small piece of equipment or transport a patient in a wheelchair. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.